Natalia Pribytkova

Pinion Tales

Product info


Pinion Tales is a whimsical puzzle adventure game for mobile platforms (release date: Dec 2025. App Store, Google Play)

Players need to guide a Hero through tricky obstacles, complete fun mini-tasks, and befriend quirky companions along the journey. 

Developer: Silver Monk Studios.

Target audience
– Young Adults to Middle-Aged Adults (18-45):  Those who prefer point-and-click adventure games with slower pace to fast-paced action games.
– Teenagers (13-17): PinionTales’ playful and visually engaging environments can also attract younger players, especially those interested in creative and imaginative play.

Game features
– Unique blend of physics-based platforming and interactive puzzle gameplay.
– Surreal puzzle design that sparks creativity and curiosity.
– Companion Mode — team up with charming companions to solve challenges together.
–  Relaxing, immersive atmosphere with beautiful, hand-crafted aesthetics.

UX Improvement: Increase player engagement

ROOT-CAUSE ANALYSIS

Objective: Increase early player engagement to improve progression beyond the first puzzle.

Background

Quantitative Findings
Funnel analysis indicates a significant drop-off at the first puzzle, with the majority of players failing to progress beyond this point. This early-stage churn negatively impacts Day 1 retention and contributes to low DAU.

Qualitative Findings
Player feedback and observational insights suggest friction in early interactions. Specifically, players reported:

  • Slower-than-expected response from interactive elements.
  • Touch targets that feel too small or insufficiently forgiving.

These findings indicate potential usability and responsiveness issues that may be contributing to early disengagement.

Problem Statement

There is substantial player churn at the first puzzle, suggesting a friction point in the early gameplay experience.

Hypotheses (Potential Causes)

  1. Onboarding Ineffectiveness: The introductory cutscene may be too long, not explanatory or not engaging enough, potentially failing to prepare players for the puzzle mechanics.
  2. Cognitive Overload: The first puzzle may be too complex for an introductory level.
  3. Interaction Friction: Controls and in-game interactions may feel unintuitive or insufficiently responsive (e.g., Hero movement or object manipulation).

Proposed Solutions / Areas for Exploration

  1. Optimize the Introductory Cutscene: Increase engagement and clarity by incorporating closed captions with voiceover to better explain the narrative.
  2. Enhance the Hint System: Provide clearer, more contextual guidance to reduce early frustration.
  3. Improve Interaction Quality: Refine controls and responsiveness to ensure a smoother and more satisfying gameplay experience.

Chosen Solutions and Implementation

  1. Controls and interactions.
  2. Hint system.
  3. Intro cutscene.